Pain of the Past
by ForeverDreamer12
Summary: Natsu seems to be a strong, carefree, and confident teen. But, like everybody, he has a weak side he keeps hidden out of fear. But when a misunderstanding between him and Lucy causes Lucy to go on a dangerous mission alone, Natsu realizes that he's going to have to face his fears and not let his past mistakes hold him back. (co-author: electricblue1214. Rated T to be safe)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone!**

**This is my second Fairy Tail story, but my first one that's multiple chapters. This was the winner of my poll I (briefly) posted on my profile.**

**This story takes place after the Nirvana arc, just like my one-shot "I Know You". However, these two stories do not connect in any way.**

**Also, please do not spoil anything about the anime. I am in the 100's at the moment...somewhere around 108 or 109.**

**Anyways, let's get started! But before I begin, huge, huge thank you to electricblue1214 for being my editor/co-author on this story :)**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past: _

_~Chapter One~_

* * *

The moonlight filtered through a dusty window, illuminating the face of a young man. He is exhausted, obviously wanting to go to sleep. But something is plaguing his mind, forcing him to stay awake. This storm of thoughts and memories whirl and churn inside of him, tugging at his emotions. A scarf is wrapped around his neck, and one of the ends falls in front of his bare chest. He shivers a bit as a breeze blows through an leak between the windowpane and the sill.

His eyes are closed, and his head is hung. His hands, clenched into fists, lie still in his lap. A piece of pink hair brushes against his forehead, and he lifts his head up slightly. His dark eyes open as a single tear slides down his left cheek, creating a damp streak.

"I'm sorry..." he whispers. "I broke my promise..." The tear falls from his cheek onto one of his hands, and slides down his knuckles. "I still haven't forgiven myself, you know..."

"Natsu?" The pink-haired teen jolts, his head turning to the side towards the door. A little blue cat looks up him with big, concerned eyes.

"Where have you been?" Natsu asks, sounding pained.

"Getting more fish," Happy replies. "You okay, Natsu?"

The Dragon Slayer forces a smile. "I'm okay, little buddy. Don't worry."

"Aye sir!" cries Happy, and he jumps up onto the hammock next to his friend.

"We really need to sleep," groans Natsu, stretching.

"Aye," Happy yawns. He curls up on the hammock and falls asleep almost instantly. Natsu sighs and gently pets his friend's head. The Dragon Slayer lies down in the hammock, attempting to get comfortable as he shifted from side to side.

"Man," he mumbles. "I should've gone over to Lucy's. I miss her bed."

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia was in a great mood that morning. She slept great the night before, and had a break-in free morning. She skipped on her way to the guild, feeling excited for whatever was to come. She imagined missions, and hoped that they'd be easy and fun.

Pushing the doors open to the Guild Hall, Lucy's smile widens. The scene that met her eyes was lively, but not crazy. Cana sat in her usual spot, chugging down booze like there was no tomorrow. Macao and Wakaba were chatting in a corner, probably bring the usual perverts they were. Wendy and Carla were enjoying a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Levy was reading out of a thick book with Jet and Droy sitting on either side of her, watching her every move as she read. Gajeel was sending random people glares, especially Jet and Droy, but watching Levy out of the corner of his eye. Bisca and Alzack were discussing a mission over by the board. Of course, Nab was loitering over there too. Elfman was randomly yelling, "MAN!" much to Evergreen's annoyance, grumbling to herself as she threatened to turn him to stone. Vijeeter was dancing in the corner of the room near Reetus, who was painting something as usual.

Lucy took a seat at the bar, swinging her legs back and forth. Everything just seemed like it would be a perfect day.

"Good morning, Lucy!" smiles Mirajane.

"Hi, Mira!" Lucy greets back.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Mira acknowledges.

"I had a break-in free evening, night, and morning," Lucy laughs.

"I bet that was nice," Mira smiles.

"Yeah," Lucy agrees. "But...in some weird way, I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting used to it..."

"Really?" Mira asks.

"Yeah," Lucy admits. "I mean, it may be annoying, but at the same time... It's kind of nice to come home to someone, you know? They may claim that they come because of food or my comfy bed, but I know that they still want to see me."

"It's really cute, actually," Mira smiles. "Natsu was telling me the other day that he likes your house way better than his own. I asked him why, and he replied that he felt safe there."

_'Safe?'_ thinks Lucy. _'What's that supposed to mean?'_

"Hey, Lucy." The blonde turns around to face Erza and a mostly-naked Gray.

"Gray, your clothes," she sighs. She just loved how everyone was so unfazed by this now.

"AHH!" cries Gray, rushing off to search for his missing garments, "Not again!"

Cana snorts from her seat, draining another mug. "It's hopeless, Lucy. He's never going to break that stupid habit of his."

"Anyway," Erza says, trying to get the conversation back on track, "we were wondering if Natsu picked the job out yet. It's his turn."

"I don't know," Lucy admits. "In fact, I haven't seen him all morning."

"Huh," Gray says. "Weird. Normally he's here by now. It's not like him to-"

**BANG!**

The Guild Hall doors fly open to reveal a very excited Natsu.

"I'M HERE!"

"Aye!"

"Speak of the devil," mutters Gray.

Natsu instantly makes his way over to his team, a huge grin on his face.

"We gotta mission?" he asks.

"It's your turn," Erza says. "Gray picked last time."

"Really?" Natsu asks.

"Yeah, the last one was defeating the rock monster, remember?" sighs Gray.

"Right," Natsu replies, walking over to the board. His eyes scan the board until he finally finds one he likes. "Oh! This one will be perfect for Lucy!"

The said girl grabs the paper from him and reads it. "You idiot!" she shouts. "HOW IS THIS PERFECT?!"

"You see, it's for a holder-type wizard needing experience!" Natsu grins. "And the reward is-"

"I don't need experience!" snaps Lucy. "Are you calling me weak?"

"You're not weak, you just need a bit more 'training', that's all!" Natsu says.

"JERK!" Lucy cries. "JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A POWERFUL WIZARD DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO RUB IT IN MY FACE!"

"I'm not-" Natsu protests, only to be interrupted by Lucy.

"I don't want to hear it!" The Celestial Wizard snaps. She then turns on her heel and storms out of the Guild Hall.

"Lucy! Wait!" cries Natsu. But she's already gone.

"Is he gonna go after her?" Macao asks Wakaba. Wakaba simply shrugs.

The entire guild stares at Natsu, waiting for his reaction. The Fire Wizard clenches his hand into a fist, flames spurting out from between his fingers. He's shaking a bit, from either shock or anger. Conflict is written all over his face. Suddenly, the flames die and his fist falls to his side. Silently he walks over to the nearest table and sits down. Placing his head on the table, he glances towards the door without saying a word.

The peaceful happiness of the morning was shattered then.

* * *

Lucy rushes home, stomping in fury. Natsu had always been a bit annoying, but this was too far. Yes, he could be a bit of a show-off, but this was incredibly rude. He was babying her AGAIN. She remembered last mission when this happened very clearly...

_The rock monster swung at Lucy, and she jumped back, whip in hand. Beside her, Gray slams his fist into his hand._

_"ICE-MAKE...LANCE!" The ice spears shot towards the monster, but they shattered when they hit it's rocky hide. Panting, sweat drips down Gray's face._

_"I'm low on magic energy!" he shouts._

_"Me too!" Erza yells, creating a sword and throwing it at the beast. It simply bounces off._

_"I'll take it!" Lucy shouts, going towards its legs with her whip in hand. She planned to tie its legs together to trip it. That way it would expose its weak spot on its forehead._

_"NO!" Natsu shouts. "I've got it, Lucy!"_

_"Natsu, I'm fine!" she protests._

_"Stay back!" Natsu shouts, and rushes towards the beast himself._

_"Natsu!" Lucy screams, angry. "I could've-"_

_But Natsu's already jumped forward and slammed a flaming fist into the rock monster's weak spot. It explodes into a pile of rocks, leaving behind only rubble._

_"Ha!" Natsu shouts, making a fist. "That's what you get for messing with Fairy Tail!"_

Lucy sighs. He probably didn't mean to baby her, but he still did.

She kicks a pebble down the street angrily, and watches as it skitters down the cobble.

_'I need to prove myself...'_ she thinks. _'But how? What can I do to show Natsu and the others that I'm not some helpless girl?'_

By this time, she's arrived home. She shoves open her door and walks inside, sighing to herself. She grabs a muffin and heads to her room. While eating, she begins to brainstorm ideas.

"I could go on the next mission without my keys," Lucy thinks aloud. "No...that's not a good idea. The others will think I'm stupid and forgetful, then." She taps her fingers on the desk. "I could...pick a really hard mission when it's my turn!" This seems like the perfect idea when she realizes something terrible. "Oh yeah...the last one I picked was dangerous too, but Erza did all the work..."

Lucy shoves the last piece of muffin in her mouth. "There has to be something...maybe... OH!" A victorious grin spreads across her face. "That's it! I'll prove to them that I AM strong!" She laughs at the genius of her plan.

This...is going to be perfect.

* * *

**I know that this chapter is short, and I'm sorry to say that all of them will range around 1,500 words. My schedule is PACKED.**

**However, I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please review in this little box down there!**

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	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone!**

**Did you have a good Halloween? I sure did :)**

**Anyways, here's Chapter 2! Thanks for all the reviews! Keep it up :)**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past: _

_~Chapter Two~_

* * *

The next morning, Natsu Dragneel woke up with a cramped back and a massive headache. As he sat up and stretched, he could feel the knots in his back vanish.

"Again..." he mumbles, "I should've crashed Lucy's..." His eyes widen at the thought. "Lucy! She's still mad at me, isn't she? Oh man..." He jumps up off his hammock, throws on his shirt and shoes, and runs into the kitchen yelling, "HAPPY! TIME TO GO!"

In the kitchen, a startled Happy nearly chokes on a fish bone. "Aye...sir..." he coughs out. Natsu grabs Happy by the tail and swings the cat up onto his shoulder.

"Sorry, buddy, but we gotta get to the guild pronto!" the Dragon Slayer says on his way out the door. Happy groans.

"But...can I at least grab a fish...?"

"When we get to the guild," Natsu replies. "I gotta go apologize to Lucy! She's probably still pissed off at me!"

"You liiiiike her~!" Happy sing-songs. Natsu ignores him and continues towards the guild.

* * *

Erza sighs to herself, clutching a steaming mug. "I love being here early in the morning...there's no chaos like there is when those crazy lunatics are around..."

"Yeah," says Cana, "this is the only time I can drink in peace."

"It is quite nice," Mira agrees, cleaning out a mug with a cloth. "But the boys definitely make things interesting!"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be Fairy Tail without them," says Wakaba from his seat.

"Speaking of the youngsters, what was Lucy doing here so early?" Macao asks Mira, having seen Lucy exit the guild when he arrived.

"Job stuff," Mira sighs. "But...to tell the truth...I'm a bit worried..."

"Why?" Cana yawns. "Lucy can take care of herself."

"Well she-"

**BANG!**

Mira was rudely interrupted (AGAIN) by the doors slamming open. Natsu rushes through the open doors, Happy perched on his shoulder. Natsu looks like he ran the whole way there. He marches straight up to Mira and demands, "Where's Lucy?"

"She left," Mira says.

"SHE WHAT?!" Natsu yells. Happy leaps off Natsu's shoulder in shock.

"Not the guild, silly," Cana groans. "She just took a job, that's all."

"A...a job?" Natsu looks confused. "But...we're a team..."

"What job?" Erza asks, sipping her drink.

"The forest Chimera," Mira says, sounding almost sad.

Natsu explodes. "WHAT?!"

Erza nearly chokes on her tea, "But that mission was meant for 3 wizards or more! She's going to get herself killed!"

Natsu's fingers on his left hand curl into a fist. Flames erupt between his knuckles. "Lucy..." He sounds angry and worried. "Damn...what were you thinking?"

Someone in the guild gasps when they see fear fill Natsu's eyes. "You can't..." he says. "You can't do this... I can't lose you too!" He turns to Happy. "C'mon, Happy! We're going to save Lucy!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy shouts.

Erza grabs Natsu by the wrist. "No! Natsu, you can't!"

"Do you want her to die?!" Natsu shouts.

"Of course not!" Erza says firmly. "But she'll be mad at you if you interfere! And it will bring shame to-"

"Cut the crap, Erza!" Natsu snarls. Eyes widen around the room.

"Did he just...?" Macao says.

"Someone's got a death wish," sighs Wakaba.

"Look," Natsu continues. "Lucy's gonna die if we don't do something! Not only can a Chimera breathe fire, their claws are filled with poison! Lucy won't be able to win!"

"Have a faith in her," Erza says. "She's not helpless."

"I know that!" Natsu shouts. "BUT SHE'S NOT SAFE EITHER!"

"Fairy Tail in general isn't safe," Cana groans from the side.

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME, ERZA!" Natsu roars. "I AM GOING AFTER LUCY, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO!"

"Someone's pissed off," mumbles Cana, taking another drink.

"Something's bothering him," Levy says softly from her seat.

"Well, Lucy IS in danger," comments Jet.

"But it's not just that," Levy frowns. "There's something else on his mind."

"He seems fine to me," Droy adds.

"No...look in his eyes..." Levy leans forward as she speaks. "Do you see what I see?"

Jet and Droy don't answer.

"I see pain," Levy says, her voice very quiet.

"You're so cool, Levy!" chant the boys.

Meanwhile, Natsu is struggling to break himself free from Erza's iron grip. "Let me go!" he hisses. "I've got to help Lucy!"

"You are NOT going anywhere," Erza scolds.

Natsu squeezes his eyes shut. _'Lucy...please...hold on...I will make it...I promise...'_

* * *

Lucy climbed off the train in the town of Ruport, ready for the mission ahead of her. As she made her way through town, she noticed nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, this town seemed very peaceful and prosperous. It was hard for her to believe that a dreadful beast like a Chimera lived in the woods nearby.

But before she dealt with the beast, she would have to talk to the employer of the job. His name was Mr. Crawford, and he lived on the east side of town near the forest. His house was made of faded clay bricks, and it had a wooden roof. The windows were dusty, with moth-eaten curtains covering them from inside.

Lucy swallows. "Well...here it goes..." She steps forward and knocks on the old wooden door. She waits for what seems like forever. The old house does nothing to lighten her spirits, in fact, it only makes her more nervous.

"Who's there?" a creepy voice whispers.

Lucy bites back a scream. "Uh... H-Hi. I'm f-from Fairy Tail for the Chimera job?"

The door opens a bit, and a single beady eye looks out. "Tattoo," he croaks.

Lucy holds up her hand, shaking a bit. "I'm Lucy," she says, trying to sound brave. "I'm the best Celestial Wizard Fairy Tail's got." She leaves out the fact that she's the ONLY Celestial Wizard in Fairy Tail, because then it wouldn't sound as impressive.

"Only one of you?" the voice asks warily.

"Don't worry, sir, I've got it covered," Lucy says. She closes her eyes, trying to think of something else that would impress him. "Oh! Did I mention that I'm on the same team as Natsu Dragneel and Erza Scarlet?"

"Who?" The man doesn't sound impressed.

"Salamander and Titanya," Lucy says.

"Oh!" The man sounds reassured. He opens the door the rest of the way to see Lucy in full.

The man had beady eyes, glasses, and brown hair with a huge bald spot. He was slightly overweight, and he chewed on his lip constantly.

"I'm Mr. Crawford," the man says. "I'm so glad you're here, Lucy." He looks around anxiously, then lowers his voice. "You see, the people of this town seem to think that I'm an evil wizard, and that I summoned the deadly Chimera to destroy the town and claim all its wealth. The town's hunting and fishing has been going downhill because everyone's too afraid to go into the forest! You have to help me, Lucy! Go destroy the beast, please!"

Lucy grins, "Can do! No worries, Mr, I'll get rid of it!"

"Wonderful!" he cries. "Return with proof that you killed it and I'll reward you with 75,000J!"

_'That's perfect!'_ Lucy thinks. _'That's just enough to pay my rent and treat myself to some new clothes and such!'_

Mr. Crawford smiles. "Good luck, Lucy!" He then lowers his voice. "You're gonna need it."

* * *

Deep in the forest, the trees are destroyed. Flowers are ripped from the ground, their roots and leaves scattered across the clearing. Signs of destruction are everywhere. On the bank of a clear river, a man smiles evilly. He is looking at the water's surface, where there is a projection of Lucy talking to Mr. Crawford.

"This is perfect," the man smirks. "One pitiful girl against my great beast...and a friend of Salamander's at that. This will be the perfect demonstration of my power. I will kill the girl, and then use her dead corpse as bait for Salamander. And then...I will crush the mighty dragon with my iron fist! And I will be known as the very definition of dark power!"

He smiles, twisting his mouth upward. "And no one, I repeat, no one will be able to stop me!"

* * *

**I'm sorry if Erza seemed OOC... And I just KNOW I spelled Titanya wrong. Does anyone know do you really spell it?**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, signing out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again!**

**Holy crap, 18 followers in 2 chapters? You guys are awesome! Thank you!**

**An even bigger thank you to my few reviewers! :D Please keep it up! Feedback is really helpful when writing in a new fandom :)**

**Sorry for any errors: I typed &amp; posted this on my phone... *sigh* I really need my own computer...**

**Anyways, that aside, enjoy!**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past:_

_~Chapter Three~_

* * *

Back at the Fairy Tail Guild Hall, Erza still held a certain Dragon Slayer captive. She held him by the wrist as she ate her breakfast. Natsu watches her enviously, his own stomach grumbling from hunger.

"Erza..." he groans. "I'm so...hungry...food..."

"If I let you go, you'll get food?" Erza says, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes!" Natsu gives her puppy eyes. "Please...I'm so hungry..."

Erza sighs in defeat, "Fine." She lets go of Natsu's wrist, setting him free.

"WAHOO!" Natsu shouts, leaping towards the bar. "Mira, I need some bread!"

"Sure," Mirajane smiles, and she passes a loaf of bread to Natsu. The Dragon Slayer grins.

"Thanks Mira! Thanks Erza! Bye!"

With that, he rushes out of the Guild.

"Natsu!" wails Happy. "Wait for me!"

"UGH!" shouts Erza. "I knew it was a trick!"

"You should've just given him food," Gray grumbles. The Ice Wizard had shown up about fifteen minutes ago, and was still a bit confused about WHY Erza even had Natsu captive.

"Or told him that he could ONLY get food," suggests Alzack from his seat at the bar.

"I know!" Erza says angrily. "I will punish him when-"

"Maybe you should give him a break, Erza," Mira says softly. Erza stops and looks at Mira, waiting for her to explain. "Remember that this is Lucy we're talking about," Mira continues.

"And?" Erza doesn't sound convinced.

"And he holds her in a very special place in his heart," Mira finishes.

"Isn't THAT the truth," chuckles Wakaba.

"Yeah, Erza, let him be," yawns Macao.

Erza sighs to herself. "I suppose I can let him off the hook this once..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Natsu was on his way to the Magnolia Train Station. He takes one look at the train and nearly throws up.

"Happy...I can't do this..." he groans from behind his hand.

"Natsu, you have to!" Happy tugs on Natsu's sleeve. "Think of Lucy!"

Natsu takes a deep breath, "For Lucy..."

"That's the spirit!" laughs Happy.

Natsu looks up at the train...and nearly throws up again.

* * *

Lucy kicks a tree in frustration, "Where the heck is that thing? I thought a giant Chimera would be easy to find, but noo!" She looks around her and sees nothing out of the ordinary...again. "I've been searching for at least two hours! Why won't it just come OUT?!"

She sighs and heads further in the forest. Unbeknownst to her, she's being watched.

Her observer has thick black hair with scarlet stripes, glowing yellow eyes, and pale skin. His clothes consist of a tattered black cloak that buttons in front (covering his chest), black pants, and knee-high black boots. He also wears black fingerless gloves, but they expose his palms. He smiles a twisted grin as he watches his prey make her way through the thick forest.

"Keep walking," he licks his lips. "I will water the dying ground with your blood..."

Lucy freezes in place._ 'Something's not right...'_ she thinks, looking around. When nothing unusual catches her eye, she continues walking.

"Good girl..." the man whispers. "Now...come forth, Great Beast. Come feast upon this girl's flesh..."

A growl comes from further on the forest, startling Lucy. She jumps slightly, her hand next to her key ring. Her mind races as she tries to choose which spirits would help in this situation...

'_Aquarius? No: there's no water. Aries? Possibly... Cancer? No, definitely not. Loke or Taurus could work though...'_

The growling grew louder, and Lucy fingered Taurus' key.

'_C'mon, Chimera_,' she thinks. '_Just come out so we can get this over with...'_

Almost as if the beast heard her, the Chimera storms into the clearing. Lucy's eyes widen.

It was nothing like the mythology said. According to everything Lucy had read, it was supposed to have a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail. In fact, Lucy was wondering if this was even the monster she was looking for.

It looked more like a giant lizard crossed with a unicorn. It had white-green scales and a giant horn in the center of it's forehead. It's eyes were small, and they glowed bright yellow. It had long claws on it's feet, slightly greenish.

Lucy's stomach fills with hyper butterflies. She feels ready to throw up...the beast was triple the size that she imagined. Besides, everything that she'd read told her that Chimera rarely fought, they were more for riddles. Of course, if you failed the riddle, she killed you... But at least she gave you a chance.

Lucy knew she was dead the second it focused its' yellow eyes on her.

"Attack," whispers the man in the shadows. "And shoot to kill..."

* * *

"We have now arrived at Ruport Station," the train loudspeaker blares. "Please exit now if this is your stop. The next stop is South Tenwerth."

"Natsu!" cries Happy, shaking his passed-out friend. "Wake up! Wake! Up!" Natsu remains motionless. People are exiting the train all around him. Happy gulps, getting a HUGE sense of deja vu. "Lucy!" Happy shouts, desperately trying to catch Natsu's attention. "LUCY!"

This, of course, caused the passengers around them to wonder.

"That's a funny looking girl."

"That's a BOY."

"A boy named Lucy?"

Happy was getting irritated. "Naaatsu! We have to help Lucy!"

"Last chance to exit for Ruport," the loudspeaker says.

Happy pulls on Natsu's scarf. "NATSU!"

"Now departing for South Tenwerth," the loudspeaker announces.

Natsu decides to lift his head right then, "Wha?"

"Naaatsu..." Happy looks sad. "I tried to warn you..."

"Let's go!" Natsu shouts, jumping to his feet. He attempts to jump out the window...but then the train starts again.

Natsu keels over and faceplants on the floor.

Happy groans, "So much for that..."

* * *

**Again, I apologize for any OOC-ness. I'm still getting used to writing these guys :)**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, signing out :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm back again with Chapter 4! I hope you all enjoy! :D**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past:_

_~Chapter Four~_

* * *

"So, why did Natsu freak out this time?" asks Gray, picking up a piece of bacon from his breakfast plate.

"Lucy took the Chimera mission," Mira sighs. Gray nearly chokes.

"What?! By herself?! That's crazy!"

"I think so too," Erza says. "But there's nothing we can do about it now, especially with Natsu going after her."

"That hothead is going to cause a major forest fire," groans Gray.

"Like I said, there's not really anything we can do." Erza looks over at the request board. "We just have to hope that they both come back unscathed."

"That would be a miracle," Mira says, looking hopeful.

"Yes," Erza agrees. "It really would be."

Mira sighs to herself. The whole situation seemed eerily familiar... She went on a mission that she couldn't handle... Natsu was told to stay behind...except this time...he didn't listen.

_'Please, Natsu,'_ Mira thinks. _'Save her. Save Lucy like you would've done for Lizanna if you were there that day...'_

* * *

Lucy trembles in her boots. The Chimera looks at her, its' eyes seeming to bore into her skull.

_'Okay Lucy,'_ the Celestial Wizard thinks,_ 'you've got this. Just stay calm...'_

She grabs Taurus' key and brandishes in front of her. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull, TAURUS!"

A golden light flashes, and Taurus appears.

"Hello, Luucy!" he says. "Your hot body-"

"None of that right now!" shouts Lucy. "There's no time! Attack the Chimera! Or unicorn-lizard! Whatever it is, kill it!"

"Sure thing, Luucy!" Taurus moos. He springs forward at the Chimera, his axe raised.

The Chimera growls, and swipes at Taurus. The bull falls backwards, the Chimera's talons cutting deep into his hide.

"Taurus!" Lucy shouts.

"I'm sorry!" wails Taurus, and he disappears.

Lucy grits her teeth together, fumbling with her key ring. She grabs a golden key and waves it in the air. "Open, Gate of the Scorpion, SCORPIO!"

"Hey," Scorpio says.

"Destroy that Chimera!" Lucy commands.

"You got it." Scorpio gets in a ready stance. The Chimera breathes fire at him, nearly knocking the Celestial Spirit over.

"Jeez, this thing is wicked weird!" Scorpio says. "Sorry, can't really do much here. I'm gonna go see my girlfriend. Bye."

With that, he vanishes.

_'What is with them today?'_ Lucy thinks angrily. _'None of them have landed a single hit!'_ She sighs._ 'Time for my most powerful spirit...'_

"OPEN, GATE OF THE LION, LEO!"

"Hello, beautiful," Loke/Leo says smoothly. "It's great to see you again."

"I need your help," Lucy says urgently. "It's that Chimera! It's already taken out Taurus and Scorpio! They couldn't even land a single hit!"

"Got it," Loke replies. "I will destroy it for you, Lucy."

Loke charges forward, glowing gold light surrounding his fists. He leaps up, preparing to punch the Chimera right in the face. The Chimera growls, and counters the attack with its' talons.

Loke flips backwards and steadies himself with his right hand. He then springs forward, preparing to punch the Chimera. The beast growls and deflects Loke's attack. Panting, Loke wipes sweat from his brow and attacks again.

Lucy watches in awe and fear as Loke attacks the Chimera over and over again. Unfortunately, the very few hits that he lands barely harm the beast at all.

"C'mon Loke!" Lucy shouts. "You can do it!"

Loke turns to face her, his eyes filled with sorrow. He knows that he has no chance against the monster.

In this brief moment when he turns his back, the Chimera strikes. Its' claws slice right across Loke's chest, digging deep into his flesh. Loke yells in pain, grabbing the wound.

"LOKE!" screams Lucy. Loke grits his teeth and looks at her.

"I'm sorry, Lucy..." he murmurs, and then he fades into golden light.

Lucy tries to hold in her fear, but her legs feel like jelly. She's shaking from head to toe, her fingernails digging into her palms. Her Celestial Spirits cannot help her now...

Lucy is alone.

* * *

"Naaaatsu..." The pink-haired Dragon Slayer opens his eyes to find his friend Happy.

"Huuugh?"

"We're in South Tenworth," Happy says. "We'll have to walk back to Ruport, but I'm sure you'd prefer that anyway."

"Finally!" Natsu exclaims. "No more stupid train!"

"Finally," mumbles another passenger, "no more weird guy named Lucy."

"Didn't the cat call him Natsu?"

"Whatever."

Unbeknownst to the other passengers' whispers, Natsu exits the train with a huge grin on his face. After making their way through seemingly endless crowds of people, they find themselves outside the station.

"Soo, Happy?" Natsu asks.

"Yea?"

"Why exactly do we need to go to Rubert?"

"Natsu!" cries Happy. "It's Ruport, not Rubert! And we're here to save Lucy, remember?"

Natsu stops dead in his tracks. "...Lucy?"

"Yeah..." Happy says slowly. "Stupid blond girl who-"

"Lucy isn't stupid," Natsu replies, not focusing on Happy.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" Happy tugs on Natsu's pant leg.

"...Nothing." Happy knew better than to believe that, especially with the way Natsu was acting.

His head was down and he was staring at his shuffling feet. His voice was hollow, and all traces of a smile were nonexistent. But Happy doesn't pry. If Natsu wanted to talk, he would.

_'This is too familiar,'_ Natsu thinks._ 'This is exactly like...like...'_ He swallows._ 'This is exactly like Lizanna's death...' _He clenches his right hand into a fist._ 'But...I wasn't able to save her... Today...I **AM** going to save Lucy, no matter what it takes! I can't lose anyone else in my life!' _

He takes a deep breath_. 'And I don't care if it brings shame upon me. The world can frown on me all they want. Lucy will **NOT** die because of a stupid mistake I made! When Lizanna died, it was my fault. If I had come along, she would've lived... I'm going to do the things for Lucy that I couldn't do for Lizanna...'_

"Natsu?" Happy's voice snaps Natsu out of his thoughts. The Dragon Slayer plasters on a big smile, and forces himself to speak in an upbeat voice when he answers Happy.

"Are you ready, little buddy? It's time to save Lucy!"

Happy beams, "Aye, sir!"

* * *

Lucy grabs her whip from her hip and holds it at the ready. Even if the fight seems hopeless, Lucy isn't one to just give up.

_'I'm a Fairy Tail wizard,'_ she thinks._ 'I've got to keep fighting, no matter what! Fairy Tail never gives up!'_

The Chimera roars loudly, looking straight at Lucy. The girl stands tall, despite the way she's shaking, and attempts to look brave.

The Chimera lunges at Lucy, forcing her to dive to the ground. Her chest and stomach land on a rock, knocking the wind out of her. Barely breathing, Lucy rolls to the right to dodge an attack from the beast's talons. She sucks in air as she struggles to get to her feet. The Chimera growls, mad that this prey was so elusive. It attacks again and again, each attack faster and stronger than the one before it. Lucy's escapes are getting more and more dangerous.

She jumps to the right to avoid a blast of fire, and then instantly has to drop to the ground to dodge the beast's claws.

Lucy rolls over onto her stomach, coughing from all the dust. Her whole body aches, and it hurts to move. Her whip is gone, either burned to a crisp or just completely missing.

_'What was I thinking, taking this mission?!_' she thinks._ 'This is it... I am dead...'_

The Chimera opens its mouth, preparing to spit fire.

Lucy squeezes her eyes shut, trembling. _'I'm sorry, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Happy, Levy, Mira... I'm sorry, Fairy Tail...'_

A rush of heat flows over Lucy, and in that moment...she knows that it's all over...forever.

* * *

***sighs* I just LOVE writing cliffhangers!**

**Questions!**

**1) Do you think Natsu will make it time?**

**2) ****What do you think yellow-eyed dude is doing?**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, signing out :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello! I finally finished Ch. 5! :D **

**Again, thank you to all my reviewers! 15 reviews isn't that bad considering there's only 4 chapters :) And the 35 followers...thank you too!**

**I hope you enjoy~**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past:_

_~Chapter 5~_

* * *

The heat that had once been overpowering suddenly disappeared. Lucy kept her eyes shut, her mind whirling.

_'Am I dead? Is this what dying feels like?'_

She feels cold all over. Her eyelids feel overly heavy, like she hasn't slept in days. The silence is deafening. Suddenly, this quiet is shattered by a strange (yet familiar) sound. Lucy can't seem to put her finger on it, but she's definitely heard it before.

And then...three words echoed in her ears...

"You hurt Lucy..." The person's voice is more of a growl than anything, full of menace. Confused, Lucy opens her eyes. Through her eyelashes she can see a figure standing in front of her, his hands blazing with fire.

"...Natsu..."

The Dragon Slayer turns around to look at her, his eyes reflecting the flames in his hands. Yet...there's something sad behind that fire. "Lucy..." His voice is softer now, gentler. "It's my fault that you're in this mess... So I'm going you out of it! And I'm going to do it my way!"

Lucy smiles weakly and mutters to herself, "And I end up being saved again."

In front of her, Natsu stands tall and brave, facing the monster's glowing glare. It growls, the sound low and deep in it's throat. Natsu smirks, laughing a bit behind his teeth.

From behind a tree, the controller of the beast grins evilly. "And so it begins..."

Natsu leaps at the beast, putting his right fist forward, "FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!" The Chimera is unable to dodge it, and Natsu lands a blow right on the right side of it's face. It sizzles, and the scales turn a bit of a darker shade.

Lucy gasps, "He hurt it! He actually hurt it!"

"Lucy!" A voice shouts from nearby. The girl turns to see Happy running over to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." Lucy says, "but I wouldn't have been if you guys hadn't shown up when you did."

"Natsu got **SUPER** worried!" Happy cries. "We would've been here sooner, but mean scary Erza stopped us!"

"Erza?!" Lucy exclaims. "How did you get past her?!"

"Food," Happy says, which makes no sense, but Lucy goes along with it.

Meanwhile, Natsu has only been successful with two out of about fifteen attacks. The Dragon Slayer is starting to get annoyed, "There's no way a big lug like you should be able to move like this! And why are your eyes glowing?!"

As if to answer his question, the beast swipes at the right side of Natsu's chest. Caught off guard, Natsu is unable to counter the attack. He roars in pain, clutching the wound.

"NATSU!" screams Lucy, watching in horror as blood splatters on the ground. Natsu grits his teeth together, pressing his left hand against the gash harder.

"Now you've done it," he hisses, breathing heavily. "I'm angry now..." He looks up at the beast, a dangerous edge in his eyes. He lights up his right hand in flames again, and slowly removes his left. He illuminates it slowly, his arm shaking a bit. And then he goes something unbelievable...

He shoves his flaming left fist right into his wound.

Lucy screams, shaking as tears fall rapidly down her cheeks. Natsu yells loudly, pain flashing throughout his entire body.

"What's controlling you?!" Lucy sobs, tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Nothing," Happy says softly. "He did that on purpose. He's trying to burn the wound in an attempt to stop the poison from spreading."

"Poison?" Lucy gasps.

"Aye," Happy looks solemn, "the Chimera's talons are filled with deadly poison."

Natsu bites his lip, holding back tears. Sweat drips down his face in long streaks.

"...You...monster..." he snarls, sounding like a feral animal. "I...I will...kill you..."

His fists engulf in flames once more, and he jumps forward at the Chimera. The beast simply smacks the Dragon Slayer across the stomach. Natsu's back slams into the ground hard with a loud **THUD**. He coughs violently, dark crimson liquid splattering onto the ground in front of him. Tears glitter in Lucy's eyes as she attempts to scream again, but no sound comes out.

Natsu slams his right fist into the ground in front him. From where it hits, the rock cracks into pieces. Very slowly he pulls himself to his feet, his eyes glowing with rage.

"That's enough," a sly voice says from the shadows. Natsu scowls.

"Who the hell are you?" he asks furiously, coughing.

"Your end, Salamander," the Chimera's controller smiles, stepping out from the shadows of the tree. "I am your end."

"We'll see about that!" Natsu shouts, and he lunges at the yellow-eyed man. Natsu's opponent simply smiles, moving his hand ever-so-slightly. Out of seemingly nowhere, the Chimera knocks Natsu to the ground and pins him down.

"That's enough," sighs the yellow-eyed man. "You are so pathetic, Salamander." His twisted smile sends shivers down Lucy's spine. "Let me introduce myself. I am Ronon, a Dark Wizard."

Natsu coughs loudly, blood flying from his mouth onto the ground. "I don't give a crap."

Ronon's glowing eyes narrow. "You definitely have a fiery temper. But defiance won't help you here. I **WILL** kill you and your precious brat."

He flicks his wrist, and the Chimera shoots fire at Lucy, who screams loudly and shrilly.

Natsu growls dangerously. His whole body illuminates in flames. He summons all his strength, and pushes the Chimera off from on top of him.

Ronon's eyes widen, "Impossible..."

Natsu stands in front of Ronon, his whole body covered with fire. His eyes are glowing red, and his hair casts eerie shadows across his face. "You will pay," he spits up blood, "for messing with Fairy Tail..."

Lucy can't help but to smile. Natsu is angry, and Lucy knows that if you make Natsu Dragneel angry, it's doubtful that you'll live to see tomorrow.

The Dragon Slayer looks so intimidating that it almost scares Lucy a little bit. Blood is dripping down his face and staining the burnt side of his chest and stomach. Flames cover every inch of his body, burning bright and brilliant. But most of all...Natsu's eyes are filled with fire, flames of anger, determination, and loyalty.

In that moment, Lucy fully believes that there's no way Natsu can lose.

Natsu leaps forward, yelling loudly. "I'm going to turn you to ash! Fire Dragon...IRON FIST!" He slams his flaming fist into Ronon's stomach, knocking the Dark Wizard onto his back. Ronon coughs, the wind knocked out of him.

"Chimera..." he groans, sluggishly gesturing with his left hand. In response, the Chimera sluggishly moves towards Natsu. The Dragon Slayer whirls around to face his new target, the flames in his hands intensifying.

"I'll roast your little pet for dinner!" he shouts. "Fire Dragon...WING ATTACK!" Natsu's flames soar through the air and collides into the Chimera's scaly hide. The beast roars in pain, its eyes flickering.

"I've had enough of you," growls Ronon. "I need a different warrior...one that this Salamander could never defeat." Ronon closes his eyes and mutters, "Dark Magic..." His eyes snap open. "POSSESSION!"

The yellow glow in the Chimera's eyes fade, and turn white. It suddenly shrinks into a tiny lizard with no horn. It burps, and a tiny bit of fire spurts from it's mouth.

"WHAT?!" Natsu exclaims angrily. "It was a Lava Lizard the whole time?!"

Behind him, a pair of yellow eyes glow deviously and whisper, "You will fall..."

And Natsu turns around to face...

Lucy Heartfilia.

* * *

**Okay, explanation time.**

**You all are probably a bit confused. Ronon is an OC (no worries, he won't join the guild and fall in love with someone. This isn't one of those stories). He has a certain type of possession magic that makes it so whatever he possesses is anywhere from 10x to 2x as strong as it's old self. It really depends on how much magic power he has. For the Lava Lizard (a made-up species: think of them as newts that breathe fire) he had it become 10x as strong. I hope that makes sense. And yes, I do realize that it's similar to Earthland-Hughes.**

**Also, one more thing: the sound that Lucy heard in the beginning was Natsu swallowing the fire that the "chimera" shot at Lucy.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review :)**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, signing out :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**I feel like this is really cliche, but oh well. My inspiration's been kind of sapped, and I don't feel like rewriting this DX  
**

**Enjoy anyways~**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past:_

_~Chapter 6~_

* * *

Natsu's eyes widen and his flames fade. "L-Lucy! I-I thought you were too weak to move!" Lucy's glowing yellow eyes study him for a moment.

When she speaks her voice echoes as if there are three of her, "My Master gives me strength..."

Furious, Natsu whirls around to face Ronon. "What have you done to her?!"

"She is under MY control now, Salamander," grins Ronon deviously. "Do you surrender?"

Natsu curls his hands into fists, "Never!"

"What a shame..." Ronon sighs. "It would've been way less painful for both you and your friend." He flicks his hand quickly in Natsu's general direction, then smiles creepily.

Lucy lunges at Natsu, tackling him to the ground. Her glowing eyes seem to stare right through his soul.

"Lu-Lucy," Natsu coughs. "No...stop..."

Lucy doesn't listen and instead punches Natsu right in the face. The Dragon Slayer cries out in pain. Lucy keeps hitting him, each blow only causing him more and more pain. Natsu doesn't fight back, and his attempts to block her attacks are useless.

Blood trickles out of the corner of Natsu's mouth. "Lucy..." he croaks. "Don't do this... Look what you're doing... Lucy...think of...Fairy Tail..." He coughs violently.

"Please...listen...Fairy Tail needs you...you can't lose your mind like this... Lucy, please..." A tear forms in Natsu's left eye, and slowly drips down his cheek. "Don't leave me...I don't want to be alone again!" The Celestial Wizard doesn't listen, and continues her attack. Tears flood Natsu's eyes and cascade down his face.

"LUCY!" he screams as another one of her punches hits him. "STOP! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING YOU! I CAN'T HURT YOU! YOU...you..." He suddenly loses what strength he had left, and just breaks down into horrible sobs. "Lucy...remember...you ...a...Fairy Tail...wizard..."

Lucy suddenly stops, looking into Natsu's eyes. "...Fairy Tail..." she says, her voice only a bit echoey. "...Natsu..."

"Lucy..." he whispers in response, reaching up to touch her face. "...Please...come back to me..."

Lucy squeezes her eyes shut. "Fairy Tail..." A tear drips down her cheek. "I love being in Fairy Tail..." Her eyes abruptly snap open, revealing that the glow was gone. "I will always fight for them!"

"What?!" shouts Ronon. "That's...impossible! How did a weakling like her defeat my possession magic?!"

"That's the power...of Fairy Tail..." Natsu coughs, more blood splashing against the ground. Ronon growls.

"You are a foolish bastard, Salamander. Someday...you will pay...with your life!" His glowing eyes glint dangerously. "But for now...I will simply make your time painful." He reaches out with his right hand, and gold-yellow lightning shoots out of his fingers. It hits Lucy right in the stomach, burning her skin. She screams, her voice shrill and loud. She flies backwards and lands flat on her back, coughing from lack or air.

"Lu-Lucy...!" Natsu cries, coughing as more blood fills his mouth and throat. A bit of the dark liquid trickles out of the right corner of his mouth.

"You see," Ronon says loudly. "I don't just posses things! I can fight on my own as well!"

"St-Stop!" Natsu shouts between bloody coughs. "Let Lucy g-go!" Another tear brims in his eye. "I'LL DO ANYTHING!" he screams.

Ronon raises an eyebrow. "Anything, huh?" He pauses like an actor waiting for a line to sink in. "Interesting..." He snaps his fingers, and the lightning stops. Lucy gaps, finally free from the horrible pain. A tear slides down her cheek, and she furiously wipes it away. She struggles to stand and make her way towards Natsu.

Ronon smiles evilly. "When we meet again, I will not hold back my true power! Beware, _Dragneel_." With that, he whirls his cape around himself, and vanishes.

"Hooray!" Happy shouts.

"We did it!" laughs Lucy. She turns to look at Natsu, who still lies on the ground. "Thank you," she says, helping him to his feet. "You saved my life..."

Natsu smiles weakly, "I believed in you, Luce..." Suddenly, he staggers and nearly falls over.

"Natsu!" Lucy cries, grabbing him before he can fall over. The Dragon Slayer sinks to his knees, shaking. His dark eyes are full of pain, and his entire body is trembling. He takes a few labored breaths, trying to stay conscious. His face is incredibly pale from fatigue and blood loss.

Determination floods through Lucy like an oncoming tide, "Lean on me!" she cries, pulling him to his feet. "I'm going to get you back to Fairy Tail, no matter what! You saved me, now I will return the favor! Even if it means walking a thousand miles to get there, I will do it! I WILL bring you back!"

Natsu opens one eye weakly, "Lucy...you've already saved me..."

The girl's brown eyes widen, "What do you mean?" Natsu coughs and clutches the massive gash in his side, bending over in a wave of pain.

Sympathy causes Lucy to decide to pry information out of him later. She grabs him tightly, and begins the long walk back to Fairy Tail, Happy following close behind.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed the cliche XD There's maybe one or two more chapters left. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, signing out.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone!**

**Wow, I can't believe it...this is the final chapter DX Oh well... I'm considering telling you guys something, but I don't want to get your hopes up... Oh, what the heck? It's in the bottom A/N. :)**

**Enjoy the final chapter of PotP!**

* * *

_:Pain of the Past:_

_~Chapter 7~_

* * *

Lucy groans, rolling over in her infirmary bed. Sunlight streams in through a glass window, covering the room in a beautiful light. Everything around her looked so pristine and pure, as if it were brand new.

Lying in the bed to her right was Natsu. His face had some more color in it, and his breathing was slow and steady. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was in a straight line. Whether or not he was dreaming Lucy couldn't tell, as his expression was completely neutral.

"Lucy!" chirps a cheerful voice from the door. Mirajane smiles as she makes her way over to Lucy's bedside. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

"Hi, Mira," Lucy replies. "Thank you so much for helping us out."

Mira smiles even wider at Lucy's use of 'us'. "Of course! It was very loyal of you to carry him all the way back, by the way. You could've rode the train."

"And give Natsu another thing to worry about?" Lucy says softly. "I couldn't do that to him. Especially with the state he's in right now..." Lucy runs her finger across the pure-white sheets. "That reminds me, Mira. Did Natsu have a friend betray him when he was young?"

Mira looks mystified, "No, not that I can remember. Why?"

"He...he really freaked out when I got all possessed," Lucy admits.

"He really cares about you, Lucy," Mira says softly. "Of course he freaked out. He was scared."

"Natsu? Scared?!" exclaims Lucy. Mira nods slowly.

"Yes...he must've been so scared and worried about you, Lucy..."

Lucy blinks, surprised. "But...then he said something about not wanting to be alone again..."

Mira's eyes widen. "I wasn't the only one who made that connection, then," she says quietly.

"Mira?" asks Lucy. "Are you alright?"

"This whole situation was very similar to something Natsu dealt with a few years ago..." Mira whispers. "But...with Lizanna. She went on a mission she couldn't handle... Natsu wanted to come, but we told him no...to this day he wishes he went against our will. He wishes he could go back and save her..." Mira looks up at Lucy. "And I'm thinking...that maybe, somehow, saving you made him feel better..."

"Maybe..." Lucy says softly, looking at Natsu's sleeping face. "Mira...you said earlier that Natsu felt safe at my house...do you know why?"

"I think so..." Mira replies. "Lucy...I think Natsu gets kind of lonely sometimes...and you are his best friend besides Happy."

Lucy ponders that for a second, "That seems...very...believable, actually." Lucy surprised herself for thinking this. "I mean, he's surrounded by friends at the guild, but once he gets home, it's only him and Happy..."

Mira nods, "Exactly."

"Thanks, Mira," Lucy smiles.

"You're welcome!" Mira replies cheerily, and then she leaves the infirmary.

Lucy watches her leave, and then rolls over to look at her sleeping teammate._ 'Poor Natsu...he got himself into this mess because of me...but I suppose...he would've done it no matter what mission...'_ She smiles. "I can always count on you, Natsu... Thank you..."

Almost as if he heard her, Natsu smiles in his sleep.

* * *

It has been four days since the fight against Chimera and Ronon. Natsu still hadn't woken up, but most of his injuries had healed already. Mira sent a letter to Mr. Crawford explaining what happened, and got a letter back that had 80,000J in it. It said,

_'Miss Lucy Heartfilia,_

_Thank you so much for your hard work. Even if you didn't kill it, you got rid of the menace that plagued our forests. So here's the reward, and a little extra to help pay for the medical expenses of Salamander's injuries. I hope you both make a quick, painless recovery._

_Thanks Again,_

_Mr. Devon Crawford'_

Lucy smiles from her seat at the bar, setting the letter down on the counter. "That was so nice of him to send money at all!"

Mira laughs, "Well, you did complete the job. Just not in the way he expected."

Suddenly, the door to the infirmary bursts open to reveal a very awake Natsu. "Does somebody have food?! I'm starving over here!"

"NATSU!" screams Lucy, jumping up from her stool and rushing towards him. Sobbing in relief, she throws her arms around him.

Natsu blinks, obviously very confused. But then he laughs, and hugs her back. "Why are you crying, Luce?" he asks. Lucy looks up at him with her watery brown eyes.

"I'm so happy you're okay!"

Natsu laughs again, "Me too!"

Coming out of seemingly nowhere, Happy flies above their heads and sing-songs, "You _liiiike_ each other~"

"SHUT UP YOU STUPID CAT!" Lucy yells, her face burning as she jumps away from Natsu.

Natsu once again ignores Happy, and instead shouts, "Someone give me food!"

"No one's going to just give it to you, you idiot!" a mostly-naked Gray shouts.

"What did you call me?!" Natsu yells, getting in Gray's face.

Everyone in the guild groans. "Here they go again," sighs Wakaba.

"Fire Freak!"

"Pervy Popsicle!"

"Lava Mouth!"

"Icy Stripper!"

"Ash Head!"

"Snow Queen!"

"COAL FACE!"

"YELLOW SNOW!"

Lucy laughs nervously. "They better not end up brawling..."

Mira sighs, "Well, if they do, we can only hope Gray will go easy on Natsu."

Cana snorts loudly, "I'd bet two-thousand jewel that that'd never happen."

Suddenly, Erza marches over to Natsu and Gray. "This there a problem here?"

The two boys quickly sling their arms arms around each other's shoulders.

"No, we're just grand!" Natsu laughs nervously.

"Nothing like hanging out with my best buddy~" Gray sing-songs, faking a huge smile.

From her seat at the bar, Lucy bursts into a fit of giggles.

Mira giggles too, "Those boys."

Shooting Gray a glare, Natsu walks over to Lucy and Mira. "Do you have food?"

Mira sets a platter covered with food on the bar counter. Natsu leaps onto the stool next to Lucy, and starts chowing down.

"How are you feeling?" Lucy asks him.

"Great!" Natsu exclaims with his mouth full.

"Any pain...?" Lucy asks.

Natsu shakes his head. "No, not much."

A loving smile spreads across Lucy's face. "I'm so glad... I was really worried, you know..."

Natsu finishes chewing, and looks at her. "Why?"

Lucy looks away, a huge blush spreading across her face. "I...I just..." Natsu sat there quietly, waiting for her finish. "I just was," Lucy says finally.

"That's okay," Natsu tells her, ripping off a chunk of bread. "I understand."

Lucy makes a choking sound, her face turning even redder. "Wh-What?!"

"I worry too," Natsu says nonchalantly. "I guess it's normal."

"Y-Yeah," Lucy stammers._ 'What was I thinking?'_ she thinks._ 'It's not like he was talking about-'_

Her thoughts are rudely interrupted by Erza placing a sword to Lucy's throat. The blonde's eyes widen in fear.

"Erza!" Natsu snarls suddenly. "What are you doing? Let her go!"

"Where. Is. My.** CAKE**?!" Erza roars.

Lucy trembles in her seat, "I-I don't know..."

Erza sighs, "Sorry, Lucy." Within seconds, her sword is at Natsu's throat instead. "**WHERE IS IT?!**"

"I don't know!" Natsu squeaks. Lucy giggles: the look on his face is cute and priceless.

In that moment, Lucy realizes that as long as she has Fairy Tail, nothing will ever bring her down. Their strength and heart will continue to inspire her, no matter where she is. Fairy Tail is her home, and her guildmates are her family.

"I don't have to try to prove myself," Lucy says to herself softly. "Because...they already know..."

She smiles at the all her friends around her, feeling content. Finally, her gaze lands on Natsu, who was at last able to convince Erza that he didn't have her cake. When he saw her staring, he grins back at her. Lucy reaches out towards him, and intertwines her fingers with his. Through their joined hands, they said thousands of words that wouldn't mean a thing if said aloud. It was the touch, the contact, the feeling of each other that made them feel safe.

They had been through quite an ordeal together...and this wasn't the first time. But there was something special this time: some deep emotional bond had been formed, bringing them closer still. Lucy had seen Natsu weak, she had seen him cry and scream, she had seen the pain of the past in his eyes... But most of all, Lucy had seen who Natsu was. She now knew this mysterious dragon boy better than she thought she ever would.

One thing was for certain, though. No matter what happened to them as children, no matter what occurred in the past, they lived in the now. They lived together. Lucy looks up into Natsu's dark eyes, and he smiles down at her.

_'Don't ever leave me...'_ Lucy thinks.

"I won't," Natsu whispers, and Lucy realizes she said the last thought out loud. Natsu looks deep in her eyes. "I promise."

Lucy smiles, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "You better keep that promise," she says with a smile.

"Don't worry," Natsu smiles, "I will..." He gazes deep into Lucy's eyes. "I always will..."

* * *

**ANNND SCENE~**

**Okay, I promised you some news. So here it is:**

**There might be a sequel. I'm not sure yet, since I'm freakishly busy right now with school and all my Ninjago fanfics, but I might write one because I feel like we need another fight with Ronon (and MORE NALU). If I did write one, it would be called Fear for the Future, or FftF.**

**Thanks for reading everyone! I really appreciate it. :)**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, sign-**

**Natsu: WAIIIT!**

**Me: Where did you come from? Also, what is it with characters interrupting my signoff on final chapters? *cough cough JAY cough cough*.**

**Natsu: I just wanted to say something.**

**Me: What is it?**

**Natsu: ...**

**Me: What?**

**Natsu: LUCY'S A TOTAL LOONY SHE KICKED ME OUT OF HER HOUSE THIS MORNING AND-**

**Me: You should've known that would happen. Now, please, I'm trying to do something here.**

**Natsu: BUT-**

* * *

**~ForeverDreamer12, finally signing off! XD**


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